Sen. Napoleon Harris

Amends the Township Code. Provides that, if there are 28 months or less remaining in the term of a township officer at the time of the vacancy or failure to qualify, an appointed officer shall serve for the remainder of the term. Provides that, if there are more than 28 months remaining in the term at the time of the vacancy or failure to qualify, the office shall be filled by a special election to be held at the next general election and the appointed officer shall serve until the election results are certified and the person elected at the special election is qualified (rather than a person appointed shall hold office for the remainder of the unexpired term). Provides that the compensation for a supervisor of a township in Cook County may not be increased during the term of office for which the supervisor is elected or appointed. Provides that an ordinance establishing compensation, including an increase or decrease in a supervisor's compensation, shall apply uniformly to the supervisors whose terms start after enactment of the compensation ordinance. Prohibits a township from decreasing the salary for a person elected as supervisor of a township while maintaining the salary of an incumbent. Provides that an ordinance that violates the provisions is null and void. Effective immediately.

Creates the 21st Century Diversity Business Act. Provides that the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity shall create and administer the 21st Century Diversity Business Program to provide loans and financial assistance to minority-owned businesses in 21st Century Diversity Business Districts. Provides for application, eligibility, and loan requirements. Requires the Department and its grantees to provide technical assistance to businesses receiving loans through the Program. Requires the Department to enter into an agreement with businesses receiving loans through the Program with specified content. Requires the Office of the Secretary of State to make available to the public on the website of the Office of the Secretary of State a registry of self-certified minority business owners from which both public and private entities may seek services. Provides further requirements concerning the registry. Provides for the adoption of rules.

Creates the Candidate Information Privacy Act. Provides that the Executive Director of the State Board of Elections shall establish a secure portal through which a candidate may submit or revoke a request for the redaction or nondisclosure of his or her personal information from publicly-accessible databases maintained and administered by the Board. Sets forth procedures to request the redaction or nondisclosure of specified personal information and exceptions. Provides that a copy of the voter registration files maintained in the Statewide voter registration system and maintained by the election authority of each county shall be provided to a requester as redacted, except that a copy of the unredacted voter registration files shall be provided to specified individuals. Amends the Freedom of Information Act to make conforming changes. Effective January 1, 2025.

Appropriates $2,500,000 from the General Revenue Fund to the Department of Human Services for the Illinois Farm to Food Bank Program. Effective July 1, 2024.

Amends the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act. Sets forth certain protections that must be provided to the parent or guardian of a child at the center of an abuse or neglect investigation whenever the Department of Children and Family Services refers a child to a board-certified child abuse pediatrician for a medical opinion. Provides that the board-certified child abuse pediatrician must explain to the parent or guardian of the child, whenever the pediatrician has direct contact with the child or the family of the child, that the pediatrician is completing the examination of the child at the request of the Department for the purpose of providing an opinion to the Department regarding whether the mechanism of injury is suspicious for child maltreatment. Provides that the parent or guardian of the child of the center of an investigation shall: (i) be informed of the referral and his or her right to request and receive a copy of the opinion; (ii) be notified that the parent or guardian of the child has the right to obtain, at his or her own expense, and submit to the Department a second medical opinion at any time; (iii) be informed that any second medical opinion submitted to the Department prior to the Department rendering a final determination in the investigation will be considered as inculpatory or exculpatory evidence; and (iv) be notified of the Department's time frames for the investigative process. Requires the Department to annually prepare and make available on the Department's Reports and Statistics webpage a report on the number of children or families referred by the Department to a board-certified child abuse pediatrician as part of an investigation of abuse or neglect by the Department. Sets forth the information that must be contained in the annual reports. Provides that the first report must be posted within 9 months after the effective date of the amendatory Act.

Creates the Electric Vehicle Charger Grant Act. Provides that any State agency that disburses grant funds for electric vehicle charging stations must include provisions in the criteria for awarding grant funds that encourage the use of equity eligible contractors by the grantees. Provides that the provisions shall include, but not be limited to, additional points to those grantees who commit to exclusively using equity eligible contractors, a portion of the grant funds devoted exclusively for equity eligible contractors, and inclusion of aspirational goals for all grantees to use equity eligible contractors. Effective immediately.

Amends the Public-Private Agreements for the South Suburban Airport Act. Provides that in addition to the prequalification process in the Act, the Department of Transportation shall accept any unsolicited bids for the South Suburban Airport received pursuant to the Public-Private Partnerships for Transportation Act. Provides that nothing in this provision inhibits or restricts the obligations of the Department to respond to any unsolicited bids under the Public-Private Partnerships for Transportation Act. Provides that notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Department may enter into direct sole source negotiations with potential private airport development teams for the development, financing, building, operating, and maintaining of the airport. Amends the Public-Private Partnerships for Transportation Act. Changes the definition of "transportation facility" to include the South Suburban Airport. Makes a conforming change. Effective immediately.

Expresses strong support for the initiative to reprogram USDA funds allocated to Puerto Rico toward purchasing locally grown items in Puerto Rico. Urges the United States Congress to endorse and implement this initiative in recognition of its potential to foster economic growth, promote sustainability, enhance resilience, and enrich cultural heritage.

Amends the Department of Natural Resources Act. Provides that the Department of Natural Resources may lease land on property of which the Department has jurisdiction for the purpose of creating, operating, or maintaining a commercial solar energy system or a clean energy project. Provides that the lease shall be for a period not longer than 25 years. Provides that, if practical, the Department shall require that any land or property over which the Department has jurisdiction and that is used for the purpose of creating, operating, or maintaining a commercial solar energy system shall have implemented on it and maintained management practices that would qualify the land or property as a beneficial habitat under the Pollinator-Friendly Solar Site Act. Amends the Department of Natural Resources (Conservation) Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Defines "clean energy". Provides that the Department may provide for at least one electric vehicle charging station, as defined in the Electric Vehicle Act, at any State park or other real property that is owned by the Department where electrical service will reasonably permit. Provides that the Department is authorized to charge user fees for the use of an electric vehicle charging station. Amends the State Parks Act to make conforming changes. Amends the Illinois Procurement Code. Exempts certain expenditures by the Department of Natural Resources from the Code.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates the Early Childhood Education Act to establish a framework for early childhood education in Illinois. A specific provision within the legislation ensures that the rights, benefits, and employment status of state employees and their agencies remain unchanged by the new act. It explicitly states that the law does not affect existing personnel codes, labor relations, collective bargaining agreements, or pension plans. The bill was signed into law and became effective on June 25, 2024, with some provisions taking effect on July 1, 2026.